Jack nodded, opening the front door. “I come here to train. I keep unusual hours, so the owner gave me the keys.”
“What about training at Haddican’s in Alden? Like all the Bowens?”
Sure. In Alden, with the OGs and the strippers and now the mega-famous rock band Amantis and their crew. Right. He dragged her to the boxing ring. “Get the gloves. You want to hit me? Hit me.”
“Don’t think I won’t.”
“Oh, I know you will,” he said, in a tone that would grate on her nerves. “Try, I mean. Hopefully you can do better than those annoying finger jabs of yours.”
She stomped to the boxing ring, dropped her jacket and pulled off her sweater. Clad in a T-shirt, she grabbed the gloves. “I’m so going to kick your ass.”
Jack took the paddles.
“No gloves for you?” she asked.
“Not in the business of hitting little girls. Do your worst.”
“Not a little girl,” she grunted and threw a punch that wasn’t half bad.
“You’re good,” he said, dodging a leg kick.
“This is nothing. Wait till I warm up,” she stated, dancing around him, her arms in perfect defensive position.
She warmed up pretty fast, because in no time she was throwing punches and leg kicks and body blows that didn’t faze him because of his training. Wearing a cup would have been a good idea, though. She was that mad.
“What is all this about, pet? Why are you so angry?”
“I don’t know shit about you,” she spat out, the fury in her words followed by a killer hook. “You could have been married with children for all I knew. I had no clue you had a sister. Don’t know where you live. What you do for a living. Basic frigging stuff.”
“What do you want to know? Ask.”
“And you’ll tell me?” she asked, her eyes incredulous.
“Probably not, but go ahead and give it a shot.”
“Vai a cagare.”
Go to hell. Well, a more colorful way of saying it but the sentiment was clear.
He dodged a jab. “And you know what I do for a living. I run a bar.”
“Liar. You don’t spend any time whatsoever in the bar. I was talking about when you disappear and James freaks out.”
“I’m a free agent.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, bobbing and weaving.
“Whatever you want it to mean, pet. Where I live I won’t tell. Basic preservation. Although, if you agree to go there blindfolded and not peek through the windows, maybe I would reconsider.” Then again, she couldn’t be trusted, so no.
She was aiming her punches too low for his comfort. Yet he couldn’t stop egging her on. “One thing I’ll tell you; you need to learn to stay where I put you.”
Her derisive snort was accompanied with a side kick. “And you need to take your meds, coglione.”
His Spanish was good enough to understand her Italian. And she was not flattering him. Not in the least.
“Cazzo.” Dick.
“You’re beautiful when you’re angry.”
“Vaffanculo, arrogante.” Up yours, smart-ass.
“And fucking sexy, pet.”
“Stronzo.”
This insult he didn’t know.
“What?”
“Ass!” Hit. “Hole!” Hit.
Any person without his sharp reflexes would have been decked.
“I think I’ll give you a mouthpiece.” She wouldn’t be able to talk. Although he loved her talking.
“Just try it.”
The AC was off and they were both sweating. Elle’s T-shirt was wet and clinging to her chest, her nipples tenting the material, more so with every ragged breath.
She was a sight to behold. The right amount of muscles and curves. Big boobs. Long, powerful, sexy legs. Gorgeous, mouthwatering ass. In-your-face, catch-me-if-you-can attitude.
Jack hated superfit women. Or even worse, skinny as hell. All those bones sticking him. He liked to have somewhere to grab, and Elle had plenty in the right places.
“This time we’ll do it this way; we’ll blow off steam fighting. Next time I’ll fuck you until you can’t move. Same workout, more pleasure.”
She snorted. “Dream on. There won’t be next time. I’m done with you. You’re too high-maintenance.”
“I say when we are done and we are not. Not by a long shot. You’ve been taunting me for months. Years, pet. Now that you got my undivided attention, you can’t say you don’t want it. You can’t back down. I won’t allow you to. You’ve been asking for it. For me. This is what you get: me. I’ll tie you down and fuck you so thoroughly you will be limp by the time I’m done with you.”
And ruined for anybody else. The thought of her with another man made his blood boil, so he shook his head. He had to let that go. Whatever she did once he was gone was not his business. Not. His. Business.
If he repeated it long enough, maybe he’d believe it too.
“Bastardo despota.”
Despotic bastard. Good one.
“Prepotente.” Punch. “Troglodita.” Punch.
Jack smiled. “I think I’m going to have a little talk with your Italian teacher.”
More leg kicks. She was extremely good.
“Where did you learn to fight?”